Vexcel Announces 2026 U.S. Aerial Imagery Collection Program

The program will refresh 95% of U.S. population with high-resolution aerial imagery.

CENTENNIAL, Colo., Feb. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Vexcel Data Program, the world's largest aerial imagery program, today announced its expanded 2026 collection plan for the United States, reaffirming its commitment to delivering high-resolution, highly accurate and current aerial imagery.

The 2026 plan will cover nearly 5.2 million km² across the contiguous U.S and Hawaii cities, refreshing imagery for 95% of the population and more than 122 million households. The program supports the insurance, government, utilities, transportation, technology and artificial intelligence sectors, which rely on consistent, up-to-date imagery and geospatial data to make informed decisions, monitor change and identify hazards.

"Building on the world's largest aerial imagery collection, our 2026 program reinforces Vexcel's commitment to capturing high-resolution data at an unmatched scale," said Rob Agee, Chief Operating Officer of Vexcel. "Accuracy is everything. By delivering market-leading precision, we empower our customers to solve their most complex challenges with confidence."

Urban areas will benefit from 1.5 million km² of imagery captured at 7.5cm resolution, while an additional 3.7 million km² of wide-area imagery at 15cm resolution will cover both urban and rural areas. Major cities will receive up to three collections throughout the year to support time-sensitive analysis and planning.

Comprehensive 2026 Collection Plan
Vexcel will deploy a dedicated fleet of fixed-wing aircraft equipped with its UltraCam sensors to:

• Capture close to 5.2 million km² of aerial imagery across the contiguous U.S. and Hawaii cities
• Refresh imagery for 95% of the U.S. population and more than 122 million households
• Publish 1.5 million km² of urban imagery at 7.5cm resolution
• Collect 3.7 million km² of wide-area imagery at 15cm resolution covering urban and rural areas
• Deliver up to three collections throughout the year in major cities
• Produce aerial imagery and geospatial products, including Ortho, Oblique, Multispectral imagery, elevation models and other derived datasets

In addition, all collections and resulting products will be optimized for artificial intelligence (AI) to support the growing demand for accurate imagery and data at scale for the U.S.

Ongoing Nationwide Coverage
Vexcel operates the largest aerial imagery program in the U.S., delivering higher-resolution imagery than satellite sources and broader coverage than drone programs.

Its multi-year imagery library, dating back to 2012, covers 99.9% of the U.S. population across rural and urban areas in the Lower 48 and Hawaii, supporting change detection, planning, long-term analysis and AI applications.

Through continuous collection, Vexcel provides a consistent nationwide imagery source year over year. For coverage details and updates, visit: vexceldata.com/us2026

About Vexcel
For over 30 years, Vexcel has been the industry leader in the photogrammetric and remote sensing space, building market-leading UltraCam sensors and providing a comprehensive library of cloud-based geospatial data. The Vexcel Data Program is the largest aerial imagery program in the world, collecting high-resolution imagery and geospatial data in 45+ countries. Its dedicated fleet of fixed-wing aircraft captures imagery across the US, UK, Canada, Australia, India, New Zealand, Japan, South Africa, Brazil and Western Europe. Vexcel's unique technology stack results in consistency across its aerial collection programs. Its comprehensive aerial data library helps customers streamline remote assessment, innovate common workflows and enhance decision-making with confidence. More at: vexceldata.com

SOURCE Vexcel Data Program